Chapter Text
“Thanks.”
She puts the envelope in her bag and leaves. Only when she arrives at the flower shop does she open it. She has been thinking of making a collage picture for a long time, but first she needed the photos.
She takes them out of the envelope and looks at them one by one. Some are a bit old, twenty years ago and even older, but most are recent, from the last three years. She places them on the counter, seeking the greatest harmony. In the middle she puts the most recent photo, Eren and her hugging Karli, a few weeks ago, on her third birthday.
There are others also from Karli's birthday, with Jean and Armin, with Historia, Ymir and Sina. Others from Halloween, Karli disguised as a werewolf and making faces with Sasha and Connie. Christmas, with Zeke dressed as Santa, hugging a crying Karli and Pieck laughing next to them. New Year, with Gabi, Falco, Kenny, Levi, Petra and Hanji, plus Eren and her, with Karli on Mikasa’s lap.
She takes a picture of what she did and sends it to Eren.
What do you think?
I think you left a hole in the middle, under our photo, he answers seconds later. Ah, it's tempting to say it now.
The door jingles and she collects the photos, to receive the customer.
She gets home at almost eight. A lot of work in the flower shop.
As she barely places the key in the door, she hears quick footsteps from the other side and frantic knocks.
“Mommy!” Karli yells. “Help!”
"Karli!" she hears Eren. “It's bath time, like it or not!”
When she opens, Eren has Karli under his arm, on the way to the bathroom. Mikasa chuckles and walks over to them, kisses Karli and then Eren.
“Dinner?” She asks as Eren takes the girl to the bathroom.
"Just turn on the oven," he says.
By the time they finish the bath, the food is already served. The three of them are sitting at the kitchen table.
"I brought the photos," Mikasa says, "in case you want to see them."
Karli gasps and drops the food. “Photos!”
"No, no," Eren says, "after dinner– and you can’t eat quickly to finish dinner earlier.”
Karli wrinkles her nose and continues eating.
Mikasa watches them, how they play and fight over dinner, as always, and it occurs to her that Karli needs someone closer to her age to do that.
But she doesn't say anything.
She keeps silent until two hours later, when she’s already in her pajamas, laying on the bed and Eren comes back from the bathroom.
"The collage was really cool," he says, referring to the photo Mikasa sended earlier, "what will you do with that hole? You’ll put flowers or something?”
Then Mikasa smiles. Eren lays down and she turns to him, kissing him and stroking his cheeks.
“I'm pregnant.”